Removable top lift



Filed Jan. 21, 1935 Z542 @wz% 1a E %a may consist of a turned-up end portion of the plate. As indicated in Figure 3 the anchor plate l5 may be of substantial thickness, in which case the tongue portion 23 is preferably thinner so as to be stifliy resilient. The side edges 30 of the anchor plate are free, that is, spaced from the bottom surface of the recess l1, so as to act as guide rails for the coupling plate l6. To this end, the anchor plate [5 may be laterally undercut at 3|, as shown in Figure 2, or the bottom of the recess I! may be locally cut away beneath the side edges 30 of the plate so as to allow clearance underneath these side edges for a purpose hereinafter set forth.

The coupling plate [6 is shown in Figure 4 as secured to the bottom face of the top lift as by a suitable number of rivets 35. The coupling plate is provided with suitable retaining elements by which it is secured to the anchor plate when the top lift is in position. These retaining elements may be in the form of side edge portions 35 of the plate 16 which are bent back so as to hook under portions of the anchor plate I5 as shown in Figure 2. The side edge portions 30 of the anchor plate are preferably left free and clear of the bottom surface of the recess I! so as to provide clearance for the hooks or flanges 36 of the coupling plate It. The parts are so arranged that when the top lift is slid rearwardly on the upper face of the heel body, the flanges 36 may engage under the free edges 30 of the anchor plate so that the top lift is held against the heel body as it is slid rearwardly. The anchoring plate is located so that when the rear end edge of the coupling plate engages the upturned end portion 2! of the anchor plate, the top lift is in proper registry with the heel body. The length of the coupling plate is preferably equal to the distance between the upturned end portion 25 of the tongue 23 and the upturned rear end edge 21 of the anchor plate. The lateral cut-outs 22 in the anchor plate l5 permit the flanges 36 of the coupling plate to pass the upturned end portion 25 of the tongue 23. In order to permit the central portion of the coupling plate [6 to pass the upturned flange 25 of the tongue, the tongue itself must be sprung downwardly so that the flanges 36 may engage under the free edges 30. When the coupling plate is moved all the way in so that it engages the stop 21, the end flange 25 springs up and thus acts as a locking latch to prevent reverse sliding movement by the coupling plate I 6 away from the stop 21. The top lift is thus held firmly in place on the heel body, When it is desired to remove the top lift for replacement, a pointed tool 40 may be inserted in the notch 25, the forward edge of the plate [6 being centrally bevelled as at 4| to receive the point of the tool 40. Insertion of such a tool of suitable diameter wedges the tongue 23 downwardly a suflicient distance to move the flange 25 clear of the forward edge of the plate IS. The top lift may then be moved forwardly until the lateral flanges 36 are clear of the free edges 38 of the anchor plate. The top lift is then separate from the heel body.

It is evident that many variations and changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention herein shown and de ribed by W y of example and not limitation, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

.What I claim is:

l. A shoe heel comprising a body member, a top-lift member, and means for releasably securing said members together, said means including an anchor plate secured to one member, said anchorplate having free side edge portions, an upturned rear edge portion, and a resilient tongue at its forward end terminating in an'upturned portion, and a coupling plate secured to the other said member, said coupling plate having turned-back side edge portions engaging-under said free edge portions of the anchor plate, said coupling plate also being of a length to fit snugly between the upturned end portions of said anchor plate when the top-lift is in correct position on the heel body.

2. A shoe heel comprising a body member, a top-lift member, and means for releasably securing said members together, said means including an anchor plate secured to one of said members and a coupling plate secured to the other said memebr and adapted to interlock with said anchor plate, said anchor plate having free side edge portions, an upstanding rear end edge portion, and a resilient latch portion at its forward end, said coupling plate having side edge portions turned back to engage under the free edge portions of the anchor plate, the coupling plate being of a length to be engaged at its respective ends by said upstanding portion and latch portion of the anchor plate when the toplift is in correct position on the body member having turned-back retaining elements adapted to engage under adjacent side edge portions of the anchor plate'to hold the plates together face to face, said coupling plate being of a length to fit between said upturned end portions of the anchor plate.

4. A fastening device for releasably securing a top-lift to a heel body, comprising an anchor plate with upturned edge portions at the ends thereof, one end portion of said plate being of reduced width and forming a stifiiy resilient tongue, and a coupling plate adapted to slide on the upper face of said anchor plate, said coupling plate having under-turned side edge portions adapted to engage under the side edges of the anchor plateto hold the plates together face to face, said coupling plate being of a length to fit between said upturned end portions of the anchor plate-saidplates being provided at their forward ends with cooperating recesses to admit a tool whereby said tongue may be sprung downwardly so that its upturned portion is clear of the forward edge of the coupling plate.

REUBEN P. GRANT.

iii) 

